Piano Man
by LemonStar
Summary: ..Daryl/Beth.. From the "House Call" Universe. To most of the people living here, that didn't matter. He was Will Dixon's son and Merle Dixon's little brother and to them, that was all he would ever be. And now, somehow, he had duped sweet Beth Greene in marrying him and ruining her life and he was no better than any of the other white trash.


*** per request.**

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…

If the weather was nice enough, he drove her to work on the back of his motorcycle, knowing how much she loved it. She worked at the daycare center, owned by Lori Grimes, and he worked at Dale's Garage and they had been married for two months now and despite the entire town thinking Beth would show up in public with a visible black eye or broken arm any day now because she was now married to a Dixon, Daryl thought that things were going pretty good.

Not that he knew anything about being married and had never witnessed a healthy and normal marriage in his life, but he knew that what he had with Beth was good. Better than good. Meeting Beth and being married to Beth, Daryl already knew, was the best thing to ever happen to him.

It had become important to him – more than anything – to know that Beth was happy, too, and that being married to him was the best thing to ever happen to her in return. He knew he was damn lucky to have her as his wife and he also knew that she deserved someone a hell of a lot better than him as her husband and yet, she had fallen in love with him and chose him despite probably already knowing all of that herself.

Stopping at the curb outside the daycare, he held the bike steady as Beth climbed off from behind him and she straightened her skirt and the messenger bag across her chest. She smiled at him radiantly as she always did and she leaned in, giving him a quick kiss.

"Have a good day," she said to him as she said to him every other morning.

"You, too," he said in response and watched as she gave him one more smile before she turned and headed up the walkway and front steps, disappearing inside.

After seeing her inside, Daryl roared away from the curb, down the street and towards the garage. The bay doors were already open even though the garage wasn't officially open for another ten minutes. As always, Daryl was the first mechanic to arrive and he parked his bike in the back parking lot where the other mechanics would park once they got there.

Heading in through the back door, he saw Dale already in the office and when the owner saw him, he signaled for Daryl to come in.

"Everythin' okay?" Daryl asked as he stood in the doorway, not wanting to step in further.

Dale was a good man and had been good enough to take a chance on Daryl despite his last name when no one else in the town would have done the same, but the man was still his boss and Daryl had a natural nervousness when around him, always thinking he was seconds away from getting fired.

"I'm not rushing you and the man can just hold his damn horses, but that Jeep. The owner's already left me a message about it this morning," Dale said, reading papers in his hands and moving his eyes up at Daryl, looking at him over the tops of his glasses perched on his nose.

"I should be done with it before lunch," Daryl answered. "I think I only got a couple more hours work on it."

Dale nodded. "The guy's kind of a jerk so if it takes you even longer than that, that's fine with me," he man shrugged and Daryl nearly smiled. He knew that he was lucky to have this man as his boss.

"Beth made some peanut butter cookies last night and had me bring 'em in," Daryl said. "I'm gonna put 'em up front on the counter."

Dale smiled widely at that, already standing up and reaching to take the plastic container in Daryl's hand that held the two dozen cookies Beth had baked last night. Daryl had already learned that sometimes, Beth got into these moods where she just wanted to bake something. They'd be on the couch, watching television, and she'd sit up all of a sudden and talk about a craving for cookies or cake and the next thing Daryl knew, she was in the kitchen, preheating the oven and getting her measuring cups. He already was wondering if he was going to gain a ton of weight from her.

"You are one lucky man, Dixon," Dale said, helping himself to a cookie.

Daryl's lips twitched a little in his version of a smile. _That was for damn sure_ , he thought to himself. Some mornings, two months in, he still woke up in the morning and it took him a few seconds to remind himself that all that had happened was real. He wondered if eventually, he would wake up without looking over at Beth, surprised that she was there.

Even despite what Dale had said, Daryl got to work on the Jeep that had been sitting in his bay for the past day and he finished it within the first couple of hours after the garage being open. Dale called the man to come pick it up and when he was in there, talking with Dale as they stood at the counter in the front office, Daryl came in with the stapled paperwork that he had filled out, listing everything he had fixed and worked on. The man took one look at Daryl – his hair in need of a haircut and the oil staining his hands, and now the paperwork – and he looked back to Dale as if to ask him if _this_ was the guy who had worked on his car.

Without a word, Daryl handed the paperwork to Dale and headed back into the garage.

"Daryl's the best mechanic I have," he heard Dale say to the man.

Daryl didn't know why Dale even bothered saying that. To most of the people living here, that didn't matter. He was Will Dixon's son and Merle Dixon's little brother and to them, that was all he would ever be. And now, somehow, he had duped sweet Beth Greene in marrying him and ruining her life and he was no better than any of the other white trash.

And people thinking that about him had never bothered him before. Why would it? He was more than used to it. But now, there was Beth to think about and people giving him those judged-filled looks of theirs in his direction, it grated on his nerves like nails running down a chalkboard. He wasn't good enough. He didn't need all of them reminding him that. Still, he did nothing about it. He just clenched his jaw and said nothing and did what Beth had talked about more than once. _Turning the other cheek_.

Daryl could only imagine what was said to her that she didn't tell him about.

The rest of his morning was spent changing oil and rotating tires; work he could do with his eyes closed, but it was work that allowed him the time he needed to calm down. He sometimes wondered why Dale ever took a chance on him. And Beth, too, for that matter. Having a Dixon around was more trouble than it was worth.

"Hey, man."

Daryl lifted his head from the engine he was checking over and saw Martinez standing in his bay, eating a peanut butter cookie with two more waiting in his hand. Martinez worked at Dale's garage, too, and Daryl supposed that the man was the closest thing he had to a friend. Martinez didn't seem to give a shit about what was said about Daryl just because of what his last name was. Daryl had always figured that the two had more in common than anyone would think and it seemed, to him at least, that Martinez shared the same opinion.

"Lunchtime," Martinez informed him through a full mouth. "Wanna go grab somethin'?"

Daryl hesitated. He rarely spent money to go out and eat at lunchtime. Money was tight for him and Beth and white bread and bologna were cheap at the store. But today, his skin felt pulled too tightly, stretched over his body and he needed to go somewhere; anywhere.

Daryl didn't say anything. He just gave a head nod as he straightened and grabbed a nearby rag to wipe his hands.

Stopping off at the employee lockers first in the back to grab their wallets, Daryl and Martinez then headed from the garage, heading towards the diner in town without discussing it. It was a cool day with a dampness hanging in the air, but it didn't smell like rain to Daryl. It just smelled like fall.

"Tell Beth thanks for the cookies," Martinez said, chewing through his third one.

Daryl almost felt like smirking and he nodded, putting his hands in the pouch of the hooded sweatshirt he had tossed on before leaving the garage. They passed the daycare center, but Daryl didn't think about stopping in to see Beth. He knew Lori Grimes wasn't a fan of his – Beth hadn't said so, but her husband was the Sheriff and no law enforcement had ever liked a Dixon – and he didn't want to get Beth in trouble with her boss.

He wondered if she was having a good day.

Being married to him must have been exhausting. Day in and day out, people looking at her, their opinion of her probably immediately changing when they found out that she was Beth _Dixon_. Why she put up with it, Daryl didn't get. She told him constantly that she loved him and he believed her when she said it, but he just hadn't know being in love with a person meant putting up with endless piles of shit.

He didn't get why she stuck around.

As they passed the Salvation Army store, Daryl glanced through the large storefront windows and something immediately caught his eye. He stopped walking and it took Martinez a few steps before realizing that Daryl was no longer walking next to him.

"What's up?" Martinez asked, walking back to him.

Daryl didn't answer. He just pushed the door open and walked into the store, Martinez following behind him, brushing cookies crumbs off his hands. The Salvation Army store sold basically everything. Clothes, toys, shoes, home goods and furniture and right there, in the front window, there was a piano. A dark wood upright Kimball piano that looked like it had seen better days, but it still looked like it was in okay shape. Daryl didn't know the first thing about pianos, but approaching it, he hit a low key with his finger. It echoed loudly through the store and Daryl took a step back, looking it over, as Martinez grabbed the tag from the top of the lid.

"Fifty," he read.

Daryl couldn't hide his surprise. "Fifty bucks for a piano?"

"Yep. Garbage dumps are full of pianos nowadays." Daryl and Martinez turned to see a small older man with glasses that made his eyes look much larger than they were. "No one plays anymore. Not like they used to so no one's buying them."

Daryl looked back to the piano. Fifty bucks. He could manage that. Especially fifty bucks for Beth. He knew she played the piano – her parents had one in their living room – but he had never heard her play. Ever since they got married, his new in-laws kept inviting him over for Sunday dinner, but he had yet to accept the invitation. Even without having heard her play, though, Daryl knew that Beth was an amazing piano player and she deserved to have her very own piano in her house – especially since she damn-near ruined her entire life by marrying him and moving up to his tiny house in the woods.

He looked at the piano for another moment as if he was trying to make up his mind even though he had made his mind up since before even coming in here and just seeing it through the window. He then turned back towards the old man.

"Can you deliver it, too?" Daryl asked him.

He just had to figure out how he'd get Beth out of the house for a while.

…

"You don't feel warm," Beth said as she sat on the edge of the bed next to him, her hand remaining on his forehead.

"'m jus' tired and feelin' a lil' achy," Daryl said, looking up at her. "I already called Dale and 'm just gonna stay here today and get some more sleep. I haven' taken a sick day since I started workin' at the garage," he then added.

Beth couldn't help but give him a look at that. She had known this man for over a year now and she had never known him to just be the sort to lie around all day. He didn't have a fever, but he _had_ to be sick if all he wanted to do was stay in bed. Her hand remained on his forehead, trying to make up her mind what she should do.

He had seemed fine when he had picked her up from work the night before. They had come home, had fixed dinner and had eaten it at the table before cleaning up together and then sinking down into the couch as they did most nights, watching some tattoo competition reality show that Beth didn't really like, but Daryl did, but afterwards, they watched an episode of _House Hunters_ , which Daryl didn't really like, but he knew that Beth did.

And after that, they'd get themselves ready for bed. Sometimes, they made love and sometimes, they laid in bed and talked before falling asleep. Last night, after getting into bed, they hadn't made love, but Beth had woken up with Daryl's arms around her. He had been just fine when they had gone to sleep, but now, he was tired and achy and even though he didn't have a fever, Beth wondered if one was coming and she wondered if she should stay home from work today, too, to stay with him in case he got worse.

It was as if he read his mind because her hand was still on his forehead and he took it into his own, pulling it from his head and holding it. "Go to work. 'm just gonna sleep and I don't wan' you to jus' hang around here and watch me."

She smiled a little at that, but it faded as she continued looking at him. "Promise that you'll call me if you need anything."

"You know I will," he said, still holding her hand and he began rubbing his thumb in small circles along the inside of her wrist, nearly making her shiver and Beth wondered if he even realized that he was doing it. "But I'll be fine," he kept insisting.

Beth nodded. She knew he probably would be just fine. He had survived this long without her fluttering around him like a mother hen. Yet, they had taken vows. _In sickness and health_ , but more than that, she _wanted_ to stay and take care of him – no matter how non-threatening this seemed.

"Beth." Daryl was reading her mind again. "Go to work."

She took a moment, silently thinking it through, and then she sighed softly and nodded.

She leaned in and pressed her lips to his forehead in a soft kiss. Still not warm to the touch.

"You'll call me if you need anything and you _will_ call me at lunchtime," Beth told him.

His lips quirked a bit at that. "Yes ma'm," he said and she kissed his forehead again.

Beth waited another moment before she reluctantly pulled herself from the bed. She was already dressed and she went to the dresser to sweep her hair up in a ponytail for the day. She then went to the closet to slip on her heels and the whole time, she could feel Daryl watching her. She gave him a small smile before leaving the bedroom and she headed through the small living room into the even smaller kitchen.

She knew that there was a time where Daryl was embarrassed with the house he lived in. She knew that he probably still was. But she absolutely loved the house. It was small, yes, but how much room did two people need? Especially when those two people enjoyed being near one another and spending time together? There was a living room, kitchen, bathroom, their bedroom and a small stacked washer and dryer out in the back mudroom. What more did they really need? They were alone, in the middle of the woods, and to Beth, she hadn't known it a year ago, but she did now. This was her idea of heaven.

She found the can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup and left it on the counter. She then poured a glass of orange juice and carried it back into the bedroom.

"Make sure you stay hydrated," she said as she set the glass down on the nightstand table. He was looking up at her, clearly waiting for her to say something else. Deep down, she knew she was being slightly ridiculous. He didn't even have a fever, but still, he was her husband and Daryl had never had anyone before fuss over him when he wasn't feeling well. "I left a can of soup on the counter and I can call my parents and see if one of them can come and check on you-"

"Beth," Daryl swiftly cut her off. "Go to work."

She exhaled a sigh. She leaned down and kissed his head one more time. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

She felt his eyes watching her as she took her purse and coat and finally left, closing the front door behind her and heading towards her Subaru. A nip of fall was in the air and Beth couldn't help but smile as that crisp, clean air hit her lungs. The leaves of the woods were beginning their transition from green to yellow and soon it would be Halloween. And even though they wouldn't get trick-or-treaters all the way up here, Beth couldn't wait to start decorating the house for the holiday. She and Daryl would go to a pumpkin patch and then they would come home and she would teach Daryl how to carve a pumpkin. She bet he would be amazing at it and just imagining it, it made her smile as she got into her car.

She carefully headed down the path, barely big enough for one car, and emerged from the woods, turning onto the road that led her into town.

She had been working at the Over the Rainbow Daycare Center and Preschool owned by Lori Grimes for the past three years now. When she had graduated from community college, she first volunteered there, unsure of what she wanted to do but quickly falling in love with watching over the kids all day, and after a year, Lori offered her a job; a job Beth promptly accepted.

Beth spent her days, teaching children songs as she played on the piano, helping them with their artwork during arts and craft time, reading them stories and teaching them numbers, colors and their alphabet. She couldn't have asked for a better job. Yet today, she knew she was a bit distracted. She kept wanting to call and check on Daryl, only stopping herself just before she could go to the phone in the front office to call home. She couldn't help it. She was worried about him. Daryl Dixon did not take sick days; especially just because he was tired.

Maybe it was mono. She knew mono could knock a person out on their butt, but where would he have gotten it? She was the only person he was kissing and she certainly didn't have it. Maybe he shared a can of soda with someone at the garage who had it.

She called him promptly at noon – not waiting for him to do so.

"'m fine," he answered with no other greeting.

"Have you been sleeping?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said. "And I ate the can of soup. And I've also been watchin' a couple of episodes of this _House Hunters_ show. 's addictin'," he admitted, which was what Beth always said, and she smiled now. "I gotta go, Beth," he suddenly said, catching her by surprise.

"Is everything alright?" She asked, wondering what had just happened because she could feel him trying to get off the phone.

"Yeah. Just gotta go. Love you," he said in a rush and hung up before she could say anything else to him and she was left standing there with the dial-tone in her ear.

"Beth, is everything alright?" Lori Grimes asked as the children were down for their afternoon nap and the two women were cleaning up juice boxes and graham crackers left over from snack time.

Beth smiled and gave her boss her best smile. "Of course," she answered, already knowing that even though Lori was her friend, she couldn't talk to Lori about Daryl.

Beth knew that Lori shared the same opinion on her husband that nearly everyone else in town had and she just wasn't in the mood today for the "poor you, you've ruined your whole life" look she got too many times to count from too many people. She just didn't need it today. She never needed it. She would have loved to talk with Lori about husbands and marriage and maybe even get some advice, but Beth knew that probably would never happen. Lori still introduced her as Beth Greene when they were meeting new parents who brought their child to the daycare center for the first time.

Beth would always shake the parents' hands, reintroducing herself. "Beth Dixon."

By the time the last child had been picked up – Luke Ridgeway as usual – and Beth had helped clean up, she was more than ready to get home. It was Friday and all she wanted to do was get home and see what was wrong with Daryl because something was definitely wrong. She should have called her daddy and ask him to check on Daryl for her.

After leaving work, she stopped at the grocery store, picking up one of those rotisserie chickens that both she and Daryl loved as well as a container of green beans with bacon from the deli counter. She didn't feel like cooking tonight. Friday nights were her favorite time. Going home from work and able to just spend the whole weekend at home with Daryl. Her mom said that she was a newlywed and that might wear off over time – the desire to spend no time with anyone else other than her husband – but Beth wasn't looking forward to that time happening if it actually did.

As she drove up the path and parked in front of their house, Daryl came out onto the front porch and Beth looked at him as she stepped from the car. He seemed perfectly fine. Not tired at all. In fact, he almost seemed anxious and she wondered why. His hands were in the front pockets of his jeans and it was almost as if he was shifting from foot to foot.

"I brought dinner," she said, walking up to him with the brown paper grocery bag in her arms. "I didn't feel like cooking tonight."

Daryl took the bag from her arms and held it in one of his while reaching for her hand.

"Come on," he said and began tugging her gently up the porch steps.

"Daryl, what is it?" Beth asked, almost laughing, because he was acting so un-Daryl like and she had no idea why. She had actually never seen him act like this.

And the instant they came in through the front door, she came to an abrupt stop. Daryl let go of her hand to go put the grocery bag on the kitchen table and he turned back to look at her. Beth couldn't look at anything other than the piano though. It was against the wall that the living room and kitchen shared and Daryl had arranged some furniture so it looked as if it had always been there. But it hadn't. Where had it come from? Is that why Daryl had pretended to not feel well; so he could be here when it was delivered? When had he bought this? How had he known that she loved living up here, but she missed having a piano? She had never told him that for him to know that.

All of these questions jumbled around in her mind, but she wasn't able to ask any of them. All she could do was stand there and stare at the piano. Daryl slowly approached her and he lifted his thumb to her cheek. She hadn't even realized a tear had slipped down from her eye until he gently brushed it away.

"Wanna play me somethin'?" He asked.

Beth smiled and laughed and cried a bit more all at the same time before standing on her toes and throwing her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his.

 _"Poor you, you've ruined your whole life."_

If only those people in town understood the man she married and how much they loved one another. If only they understood that meeting Daryl and marrying him and becoming Beth Dixon was the best thing to ever happen to her.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and please take a moment to leave a review!**


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